'Veerappan has promised to give up violence'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, NOV. 18. The former Karnataka Director-General and
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. T. Srinivasulu, today said the
forest brigand, Veerappan, and Tamil extremists in his company
had assured the Tamil Nationalist Movement leader, Mr. P.
Nedumaran, that they would abjure from violence and stop
attacking their enemies in the future.

At a press conference here, Mr. Srinivasulu, a friend of Mr.
Nedumaran for last two decades and who had also prevailed upon
the pro-LTTE leader to undertake a mission to the forests to get
the Kannada actor, Mr. Rajkumar, released, said Mr. Nedumaran had
suggested to Veerappan to return to the mainstream and take the
first steps to rehabilitation. Stating that it was not correct to
dub Mr. Nedumaran as an anti-national, the former DGP said the
Tamil leader was a ``true Gandhian'' and a ``confirmed
Congressman''.

``Mr. Nedumaran has proved his love for India by averting a
permanent cleavage between Kannadigas and Tamilians and in
bringing cheer to the family of Mr. Rajkumar and millions of his
fans by securing the thespian's safe release,'' he noted.

Mr. Srinivasulu, who retired recently from service, said he and
Mr. B. G. Koshy, president of the Rainbow Forum, had met Mr.
Nedumaran on November 11, after he decided to withdraw from
venturing into the forests as he was dubbed an anti-national by a
few members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

``We impressed upon him not to be bogged down by allegations and
criticisms and undertake a mission to the forests on humanitarian
grounds to get Mr. Rajkumar released,'' Mr. Srinivasulu said.

Mr. Nedumaran, according to the former DGP, had told them that
``I will not disappoint friends like you. Neither can I let down
Mr. Rajkumar and his family. I am not an anti-national or a
traitor. I love India and I only want greater sympathy and
understanding for Tamils suffering in Sri Lanka. How can I keep
quiet when Tamils are being massacred?''

Mr. Srinivasulu said Mr. Nedumaran believed that he a was a
Tamilian first and an Indian next and there was nothing wrong in
holding such an opinion.

Mr. Koshy said it was Mr. Nedumaran who had saved the former
Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi's life after boulders were hurled
at her car in Madurai when she was out of power in 1979.

``Mr. Nedumaran was injured while saving Indira Gandhi and was
hospitalised. The Union Government had then deputed Mr.
Srinivasulu to conduct an inquiry,'' Mr. Koshy said in defence of
the Tamil leader.

Mr. Srinivasulu and Mr. Koshy said Mr. Nedumaran had changed his
mind and agreed to undertake a mission only after getting an
assurance that efforts to free the TADA detenus would be
hastened, interim compensation would be paid immediately to the
victims of STF atrocities and the Justice Sadashiva Commission of
Inquiry would be made functional soon again.